Musical instrument operated by percussion



V. ANGYAL.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OPERATED BY PERCUSSION.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, I919.

Patented July 26, 1921.

V. ANGYAL.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OPERATED BY PERCUSSION.

APPLICA'HON men 050.15, 1919.

1,385,898. Patented July 26, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

VIOLET ANGY AL, OF BALHAM LONDON,

ENGLAND.

Application filed December 15, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VIOLET 'ANGYAL, instrumentalist, subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residin I at 42" Yukon road, Balham, London, ngland; have invented new and useful Improvements in and Connected with Musical Instruments Operated by Percussion; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is applicable for use in connection with any musical instrument in which operation of the same is effected by percussive action such as drums, Wood drums, tambourinesand the like. The invention is, however, particularly applicable to drums and the object'of the same is to provide means whereby the usual pair of percussive sticks may be simultaneously or successively operated with one hand only.

The present invention consists in mounting the percussive sticks upon the extremity of spring means the whole being secured in correct relative position on the instrument to be played. r

In order that the invention may be fully understood a practical embodiment of the same as applied to a drum will now be described by aid of the accompanying drawinrrs in which Figure l is a plan view of a drum with the invention applied to the shell thereof.

2 a front elevation of the same and Fig. 3 a side view of one of the percussive sticks and spring mounting to a larger scale showing the same detached.

Fig. 4 an underside view of the drum showing the means for holding the same during play.

Fig. 5 a modification drawn to smaller scale and hereafter to be described.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 a represents the drum shell and b the head of the same com osed of skin or vellum. The percussive stlcks c are mounted upon the free ends of blade springs a, so as to normally rest upon the surface of the drum head I). The other extremities of the blade springs 03 are secured to the-side of the drum shell a b means of a bracket d screws or other suitable fastening means ployed for the purpose.

In theexample illustrated the percussive sticks are each provided with handles 6 conbeing em- Specification of Letters Patent.

cymbals,

Patented July 26,1921. Serial No. 344,960.

structed from sheet metal and bent to conform to a hump or loop by means of which the sticks c are raised from the drum head by the pressure of the fingers. 7

As shown the percussive sticks are disposed side by side so as to be both readily operable either simultaneously or successlvely by one hand only.

As shownthe drum sticks proper are constructed from wire of such gage as to insure both. flexibility and strength. These wires are connected at their inner extremities to stiff connecting pieces 0 of wood or other material by means of which the whole are attached to the springs 03.

This construction enables a greater vibratory effect being obtained than is possible with rigid sticks.

In operation the sticks are raised by the pressure of the WVhen released the springs operate to return the sticks to their normal position and thus set up vibration of the skin or vellum.

The intensity of sound depending upon the degree of percussive force used it will be evident that the tone may be modulated or increased to any degree desired by regulating the pressure applied to the spring controlled percussive sticks.

To limit the backward movement of the percussive sticks a stop is provided by con structing the outer extremities of the connecting pieces 0 of such a length as to overlap the top edges of the bracket d so that upon raising the percussive sticks the connecting pieces engage said bracket and so prevent further movement in a backward direction.

Such an arrangement is intended for the smaller types of instruments where but a small backward movement of the percussive sticks is required.

fingers on the handles 0.

To enable a large movement of the sticks To limit the backwardmovement of the I percussive sticks, I provide a separate stop piece f which is secured to the inner face of the bracket d and projects up to aposition where contact may be made with the handles 6 when the sticks are raised to the desired limit.

The drum illustrated in Fig. .L is a single head drum and the means for holding the same comprises a bar or strip 9 of wood or other suitable material arranged diametrically across the open end of the drum and secured in any suitable manner to the Wall. thereof.

,Vhat I claim is 1. The combination with a single headed drum of means for holding the same comprising a bar arranged diametrically across the open end of the same and securedto the Wall thereof.

2. The combination with a musical instrument, of flexible percussive sticks for operating said instrument, said percussive sticks carrying means at their outer ends for strikinc said instrument and at their inner end being attached to inherently rigid resiliently mounted connecting pieces and means for operating said sticks.

3. The combination With a musical instrument, of flexible percussive sticks for operating said instrument, said percussive sticks carrying means at their outer ends for striking said instrument and at their inner end being attached to inherently rigid resiliently mounted connected pieces, means to limit the resilient movement of said sticks, and means for operating said sticks.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VIOLET ANC YAL.

Witnesses:

JOHN I'IAROLD DWYER, ERNEST G. GAININ. 

